Transitional coupler arrangement



Nov. 23 1926. 1,608,216

n F. H. KAYLER TRANS ITI ONAL C'OUPLER ARRANGEMEN T .Filedjligy 2, 1925 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 LQ-f M7356, Y FWHZ,

Nov. 23 1926.

- 1,608,216 F. H. KAYLER TRANSITIONAL COUPLR ARRANGEMNT Filed Nov. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 23, 1926.

UNlTED SI'IES 1,608,216 PATENT GFFiCE.

FRANK H. KAYLER, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUNDRIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COVBJPGRATIGN OF NEW' JERSEY.

TRANSITIONAL COUPLER ARRANGEMENT.

Application led November 2, 1925.

This invention relates to a transitional coupler arrangement.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, light and easily handled transitional coupler arrangement in which the connecting means is flexible to facilitate coupling and uncoupling of cars under various conditions.

Another object is to provide transitional coupling mechanism in which the parts are properly shaped and arranged to provide a workable clearance for freedom of movement during the acts of coupling anduncoupling.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple transitional coupler mechanism in which the parts thereof are par-1i ticularly designed and constructed 4to cooperate in a manner to meet the various requirements under actual service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, 1n which Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of two railway cars, one being provided with an automatic coupler and the other with a hook type of coupler, which couplers are connected by my improved transitional coupling means. the transitional coupling means being shown when subjected to draft conditions;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane of line 2 2 of Figure 1 and showing the coupler mechanism in side elevation; i

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the coupler parts, showing the hook coupler in actual engagement with the front face of the knuckle of the automatic coupler which condition occurs when the buffers on the ends of the cars, as shown in Figure 1, are under compression a given amount;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the arrangement shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top plan vie-w of the coupler mechanism showing the hook coupler about an inch and a half away from the outer face of the knuckle of the automatic coupler providing just suiiicient space for the triangular hook-eye link to pass between said coupiers in the act of Coupling or uncoupling the transitional coupling means to the 'hook ecuplerg lSerial N0. 66,163.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of two automatic couplers connected to each other and showing the transitional coupler mechanism attached thereto in inoperative position; and

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 7.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring first to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that my invention is illustrated in connection with two railway cars 10 and 11 provided with the usual buffers l2 used on foreign cars in which the hook and chain type of coupler is used. The right hand car l1 isprovided with a hook coupler 13 and the left hand car 10 is provided with an automatic coupler 14 having a head 15 with a guard arm 16 and pulling lug 17 to the latter of which a knuckle 1S is pivotally connected.

The transitional coupler mechanism here disclosed takes the form of five links 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. The first link 19 may be called the hook-eye link which is adapted for connection and disconnection with respect to the hook coupler 13. Preferably this hook-eye link 19 is triangular in shape and has but a single eye. The triangular link 19 is welded in the middle of one of its sides 24 and this welded side is held in position opposite to the corner of the link which engages the hookcoupler 13 for in such position the welded side 24 of the triangular link 19 will be subjected to stresses mini.- mum in magnitude. For holding the welded side of such triangular link in the position indicated, said side 24 is flattened a given amount to provide shoulders 25' for engagement with the associated intermediate links 2O and 22 for preventing the side 24 of link 19 from moving into any other position with respect tothe intermediate links 20 and 22. In other words, the triangular link 19 is prevented from rotating with respect to the intermediate links 2O and 22, making it impossible for the side 24 of the triangular link to assume a position in line with the draft stresses.r Y

rear link al? 'which is hacked ever lill a lug 26 preferably formed integral with the guard arm 16 oithe coupler, is a relatively long link and is connected to one eye 27 of the link 20, the other eye 23 ot which link is connected to the triangular link 19. This link 21 is made relatively long` for the purpose of allowing the rearl eye 2'? of the intermediate link 2O to pass the end of the guard arm 16 when the chain is being raised from its lower inoperative position, as shown for example in Figure 8, to operative position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and also to pe `mit the chain to drop freely to inoperative position when the link 19 is disengaged from the hook 13. Gn the other hand, the rear link 23 on the knuckle side of the coupler, and which is connected to a lug 29 on the coupler, is relatively short. This rear link 23 is connected to one eye 30 olf' the relatively long intermediate link 22, the other eye 31 ot said link being connected to the triangular link 19. The purpose o'lf making the rear link 23 relatively short is to prevent the rear eye 30 of the intermediate link 22 catching underneath the coupler ear 17 as the chain is being lifted from an inoperative position to operative position. By thus having the rear link 21 on the guard arm side ot the coupler relatively long and having the rear link 23 on the knuckle side ot the coupler relatively short, the links and particularly the intermediate links 2O anfl 22 may be moved between operative and inoperative positions with the proper amount oi 'Ireedom, there being suiiicient clearance provided between the parts by virtue ot ythe arrangement shown.`

lt is essential that there be suliicient flexi-1 bility in the transitional Coupler chain to enable the making of a coupling and uncoupling under various conditions, 'lor example, reference being had particularly to Figures and 6, it will be appreciated that unless the chain has sufficient ilexibility it would be impossible to pass the triangular hook 19 into operative engagement with the hook coupler 13. To secure the degree of flexibility necessary, the intermediate links 20 and 22 are provided with their eye portions set at an angle with respect to each other. In this particular instance, by actual test it has been determinedthat best conditions prevail and best results are obtained when the eye portions 27 and 28 of the link 2O and the eye portions and 31 of link 22 are at an angle of degrees with respect to each other, Under such circumstances, the eye portions 27 and 30 of the intermediate links 20 and 22 have a tree vertical swinging movement on horizontal axes and likewise, the eye portions 23 and 31 ot' intermediate links 2G and 22 permit a free vertical movement or' the triangular link 19. It Will be appreciated that it the intermediate and rear links do not have a relativevertical swinging movement with respect to each other, it would be impossible to connect the triangular link in the position shown in Figures 5 and 6, or any other positions unless the triangular link previously had been lifted to a position above the hook coupler. Ot course.y it will be understood that the triangular link 19 may be connected to and disconnected from the hook coupler 13 when the hook coupler 13 and the automatic `coupler 14 are in di'li'erent relative positions with respect to each. other, that is, when they are farther apart than shown in l? ures 5 and 6.

In Figures Y and 3, two automatic couplers le and 32 are shown connected to each other and the transitional coupler chains 33 and 3l are shown in inoperative position suspended from their supporting lugs, two oit which 29 and 35 are shown. The suspended transitional coupler chains 33 and 34- when in inoperative position are sulii'- ciently high above the ground to provide ...all necessary clearance.

rl`he lugs 26 and 29 arey so shaped that it would be impossible to wrongly apply the transitional chain to said lugs. In other words, the lug 26 is made too long to permit the application of rear relatively short link 23 thereto. Accordingly, link 23 can be applied only over its proper associated supporting lug 29. ln this Way, the transitional coupling chains always will beproperly applied to the supporting lugs.

By means of the transitional coupling mechanism hereinabove described, all ot the objects ot the invention are accomplished.

l claim: y

1. Transitional coupling means lor railway cars comprising in combination, an automatic coupler having a head, a hook-eye link for connection to a hook coupler, and links connecting said hook-eye link with each side oli said coupler head, one link at each side having two eyes at an angle to each other to provide a connection between the other links on the same side'flexible in a plurality of directions to facilitate coupling of said hook-eye link to the hook coupler under various conditions.

. 2. Transitional coupling means for railway cars comprising in combination, an automatic coupler having a head, a single eye link for connection to a hook coupler, links connecting said eye link with each side of said coupler head, one link at each side having two eyes at an angle to each `other to provide a flexible connecting means to facilitate-coupling of said eye link to the hook coupler under various conditions, and means whereby said single eye link is held in a given relationship with respect to the adjoining links to maintain the strongest connection.

b. Transitional coupling means for railway cars comprisingin combination, an automatic coupler having a head, a triangular link for connection to a hook coupler, links connecting said triangular link with each Side of said coupler head, one link at each side having two eyes at an angle to each other to provide a. flexible connecting means to facilitate coupling of said triangular link to the hook coupler under Various conditions, and means whereby said triangular link is held in a given relationship with respect to the adjoining links to maintain the strongest connection.

4. Transitional coupling means for railway cars comprising in combination, an aus tomatic coupler having a head, a triangular link for connection to a hook coupler, said triangular link being welded at the side opposite the hook engaging corner, links connecting said triangular link with each side of said coupler head, the welded side of said triangular link being provided with shoulders for engagement with the adjacent links to hold the triangular link in a given relationship with respect to the adjoining links to maintain the welded portion of the link in a position in which it will receive minimum stresses.

5. Transitional coupler means for railway cars comprising in combination, an auto matic coupler having a head with a guard arm and a knuckle jaw, a knuckle pivotally connected to said jaw, a hook-eye link for connection to a hook coupler, and a plurality of links on each side of said coupler head connecting the latter with said hook-eye link, the link engaging the automatic coupler on the guard arm side being longer than the corresponding link on the knuckle side of the automatic coupler to permit the intermediate link to pass the end of the guard arm freely when the coupling chain is being raised, the shorter link being provided on the knuckle side of the coupler to prevent an intermediate link on that side catching under the knuckle jaw when said coupling chain is being raised.

6. 'Transitional coupler means for railway cars comprising in combination, an automatic coupler having a head with a guard arm and a knuckle jaw, a knuckle pivotally connected to said jaw, a hook-eye link for connection to a hook coupler, and a plurality of links on each side of said coupler head connecting the latter with said hook-eye link, the link engaging the automatic coupler on the guard arm side being longer than the corresponding link on theknuckle side of the automatic coupler to permit the intermediate link to pass the end of the o'uard arm freely when the coupling chain is eing raised, the shorter link being provided on the knuckle side of the coupler to prevent an intermediate link on that side catching under the coupler jaw when said coupling chain is be ing raised, one link at each side having twoV eyes at an angle to each other to make the chain iiexible in Va manner to facilitate coupling of said hook-eye link to the hook under various conditions.

7. As an article of manufacture, a triangular link for connection to a hook coupler, the link being welded at one side, said side adjacent the ends thereof having shoulder portions for cooperating with associated links to hold the welded side of the link in a position in which it will receive minimum stresses.

Signed at Alliance, Ohio, this 29th day of October, 1925.

FRANK H. KAYLER. 

